Today's yogic tip

A proper standing squat must be done with focus on the hips. Upper thighs, and hips take the load on a good squat. It causes the fat burn there, plus tones the hip to a lot of strength -- not just your muscles, but also the bones which give max trouble to elders...

Daily Health Gyan

Avocado is quite cheap in Pali -- and ripe also. The problem with finding good avacado in Mumbai has been that if u find them, they are mostly raw. And even if u wrap them in newsprint (and take some toxic lead in with that:) they rot before they ripe!! So, getting good avocado at Pali market has been part of my love for Bandra.... Rs 40 for one seems reasonable... and ripe and juicy. I like its flavor, if you can call that. That is the new taste they found some years ago - umami -- a sort of 'tasteless' taste, cheesy, textured -- something u find in hummus and some cheeses ... tho my description may be wrong. U either like umami or u don't.Avocado is umami for me. And yes, it helps skin retain moisture. Its high fat content is all good fat. It is great for helping other nutrients get absorbed. ... Vitamin E, repairing agent is why a lot of women slather it on their skin -- for youthful look:)

Fallen for sure. But down?!!!

Life seems back to normal, despite that sad knee:) Still cannot do most of what I could do other wise -- even the cat stretch was strange today and attempting with very shaky knees. The backbends drag the knees a lot, surprisingly. The forward bend too! Everything in fact. Only the headstand, if u know how to lift without the leg bending, is really painless, as also shoulderstand. Otherwise everything has to be attempted gingerly and holding against any drag which may injure the knee further. Till yesterday the knee would not bend at all! Today decided it needed to move softly. So here I am in the scorpion... First attempt I got it right. Second time, puffed with ego, u can see me crash! MMMmm, the knee hits the wall, and u end up doing everything u don't want to do!! What the heck... Then, still, the scorpion happens the second time. Life still is rosy...:)

Walked without splints for a while today, to get the leg muscles feel movement. I cannot imagine being still is healthy here ... since when I started walking again, the leg felt so cottony, as if it had no memory of any movement at all. So, yes, I walked and all that. But I realise how acutely involved the knee is in simple motions. For instance, I dropped a fresh packet of cubed sugar and when I tried to hold it, the knees bend slightly.. Hey, I almost toppled over with the keen pain!! So, the knee is still far off form... but u know I believe in yoga. I believe some movements will heal the knee. And some movements must be restricted (sun salute for now, and vajrasana for instance:( But pranayama has been always the core of yoga healing module so that is there. And back to meditation with a vengeance (this new house makes me so sleepy, esp when meditating).
So, yes, I believe yoga heals. I am moving about. The knee feels unstable still. But on that foot, below that knee, went and did a tattoo... Healing can be fun, instead of some somber, depressing place...
Let your yoga take u also there:)
Happy sadhana!!